Stringing needles



Jam. 23, 31945. E. E. WEST STRINGING NEEDLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 OriginalFiled Jan. 10, 1959 Jan. 23 345. E. E. WEST 2,367,986

STRINGING NEEDLE Original Filed Jan. 10, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 jam. 23,1945. E. E. WEST STRINGING NEEDLE Original Filed Jan. 10, 1939 3Sheets-Sheet 3 l atented Jan. 23, 3945 'Nlli) STATES PATENT OFFICE 25Claims.

This invention relates to stringing needles for stringing hemmed bags,which is a division of my pending application Serial No. 250,223, filedJanuary 10, 1939, now Patent No. 2,274,622 February 24, 1942.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide stringingneedles having means associated therewith for clamping strings thereinto assure of the hemmed bags being accurately strung, 1

Another object is the provision of stringing needles having movablemeans incorporated therein for securely gripping strings whereby thesame are uniformly delivered through the hems of the bags.

A further object is to provide a pair of stringing needles havingslidable cooperating parts forgripping the ends of the strings to assureof the strings being uniformly carried through the hems of the bags.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent as thespecification is considered with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the bag stringing needles and the operatingstructure therefor;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of the needles, in open string receivingposition, preparatory to being actuated to closed gripping position;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the needles in closed string grippingposition, preparatory to being moved through the hems of a bag;

Figure 4 is a section through the needle supporting saddle mounted onthe guide track, showing the cam means for opening and closing theneedles;

Figure 5 is a section through the needle saddle, along the line 5-5 ofFigure l;

Figure 6 is a section through the needle saddle, showing the cam meansfor opening and closing the needles;

Figure 7 is a section through one of the needle sleeves, with the needlein open position;

Figure 8 is a section through one of the needle sleeves, showing theneedle in closed string gripping position; and

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the structure for operating the needles.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein similar referencecharacters designate like parts throughout the several views, numeral 6denotes a stringing needle carriage of a bag stringing machine, notshown, for delivering draw strings through the hems of tobacco bags andthe like, described and illustrated in my pending application, SerialNo. 250,223, now Patent No. 2,274,622, February 24, 1942, filed January10, 1939. The stringing needle carriage l comprises a relatively fiat,substantially rectangular, needle saddle or plate 2 slidably sleeved ontwo, spaced, horizontally positioned, guide tracks 2,

lid

fixedly connected at their outer ends in blocks 4 supported by the topframe 6 of the stringing machine.

The inner ends of two longitudinally'extending, substantially parallel,hollow needle sleeves 8 are rigidly supported in a block or plate Isuitably secured by screws 1' to the top of the needle saddle 2, and twopointed needle members 8 are slidably arranged within the sleeves 6 andproject through the forward ends 9 thereof, for reciprocating movementrelative thereto. Reciprocation of the needle members 8, through thesleeves 6, as presently described, moves the needle points ill away fromthe forward ends 9 of the sleeves 6 to provide gaps or eyes II, for theinsertion of strings I2 therein. When the needle members 8 are moved toclosed or string gripping position, the strings l2 are clamped orgripped between the relatively fiat rear ends it, of the needle pointsIll, and the flat forward ends 9, of the sleeves 6. The needle sleeve 5and needle points at slidably extend through suitable guide openings H,in a plate 16 mounted on one of the blocks 4, and are thus guided,during their forward and return strokes, through the hems of a bag, notshown, supported on a pair of vertically disposed bag holding arms, of arotating turret head, also not shown. The needle saddle 2 isreciprocated, forwardly and rearwardly on the guide tracks 3, to movethe needle members 8 through the hems of a bag, by any suitable means,such as a substantially vertically disposed lever I8 pivotallyconnected, at its upper end, as at 50, to an arm l9, in turn pivoted tothe rear end of the saddle 2. Lever l8 fulcrumed, at its lower end, tothe machine frame as at 40, carries a roller ll, which travels in a camgroove 62, in the side face of a large cam 53, carried by a main driveshaft 22. A gear 52, mounted on the main drive shaft 25, meshes with agear it on a drive shaft 35 which is driven, through main drive shaft22, by a suitable source of power, not shown, for operating thebag-feeding mechanism, not shown, in this case. Upon rotation of thecam, through the shafts 22, the lever i8 and arm l2 reciprocate theneedle saddle back and forth on the guide tracks 3 and move the threadedneedle members through the bag hems.

The rear ends of the needle members 8 are fixed within a small block 2|,mounted on the needle saddle 2 and connected by a pair of springtensioned pins 22 to the saddle block i, for slight sliding movementrelative thereto. The block 2| is forwardly actuated, against thetension of springs 23, mounted on the pins 22, by any suitable means,such as a small cam 25 carried by one end of a crank 24, supported in apair of Journal blocks 26, secured to the rear end of needle saddle 2.The other end of the crank 25 carries a roller 2l which rides over andis periodically actuated by a horizontally disposed lifting arm 28,extending along the side of one of the saddle guide tracks 3. The arm 28is pivotally connected, at one end. as at 23', to one end of a link 29,the other end of the link being pivoted by means of a pivot pin 29", tothe upper end of a bracket 23' in turn suitable fixed, at its lower end,to the top frame of the machine. The other end of the arm 28 ispivotally connected to and intermediate the ends ofthe horizontallydisposed arm of a bell crank 38, by means of a pivot pin 38", the freeend 50' of this horizontally disposed arm of the bell'crank beingpivoted as at to the side of the guide track block 4. The verticallydisposed arm of the bell crank 38 is pivotally connected, at its lowerend, as at 3|, to the upper end of a pitman 3|. The pitman 3| ispivoted, at its lower end, as at 3|" to the free end of a horizontallydisposed arm 44, fulcrumed at 45 to the side of the machine frame 5'. Aroller 48, carried by arm 44, rests on the periphery of the previouslymentioned cam 43, for opening and closing the needles. Thus once in eachrotation of the cam the roller 46 rides over a raised portion or hum 41,on the cam 43, whereupon movement of the associated linkage, swings orlifts the arm 28 upwardly thereby raising the rollered crank arm 24 andre ciprocating the needle block 2|, relative to the needle saddle 2, inan obvious manner. It will be understood that both ends of the liftingarm 28 are raised and lowered in unison and consequently that the arm 28always remains substantially horizontal.

It is to be understood that the actuating mechanism, just described, forreciprocating the needle I'- saddle 2 on the guide tracks 3 and movingthe needle members 8, relative to the needle sleeves 6, and opening andclosing the same, has been herein shown and described merely for thepurpose of illustration, and that the same is more particularlydescribed and illustrated in my pending application, Serial No. 250,223,filed January 10, 1939.

When the end of a string I2 is fed across the needles by a string tube32, the string is gripped by a gripper 33 at the needle threadingstation, and, after the string has been gripped thereby and the loopedstring pulled by a string hook 34 to the length necessary for service asa draw string, a cutter 35 severs the string and permits the needles toadvance and carry the severed string section through the bag hems.trated diagrammatically in Figures 2 and 3, is shown and described in mypending application, hereinbefore referred to, and does not comprise apart of the present invention. While the string is being gripped by thegripper 33 and pulled to the necessary length by the hook 34, the needlesaddle 2 and needles are being moved rearwardly along the guide tracks3. With the string l2 extending across the needle, the saddle block 2|is moved, by the. cam 25, forwardly and the needle members 8 are causedto slide forwardly through the needle sleeves B so that the needlepoints l0 are moved away from, or out of engagement with, the forwardends! of the sleeves. In this open position of the needles, the gaps oreyes H, between the respective ends of the needle points l0 and sleeves6, receive the extended end of the thread, and the cam 25 is thereuponmoved out of engagement with the saddle block 2|. The

This mechanism, illusment with the flattened forward ends 8 of thesleeves and the string I2 is securely gripped or clamped therebetween.The needle saddle is thereupon moved forwardly, along the guide tracks3, to deliver the needle sleeves and needles. in closed string grippingposition, through the hems of a bag. As the string I2 is gripped by theneedles, during the feeding of the same through the bag hems, the stringcannot slip through or be withdrawn from the needles and the bag hemsare assured of being accurately and uniformly strung.

It is to be understood that the provision of needles having positivemeans for gripping or clamping string therein is an advancement in theart. While I have shown and described a form of my invention, it is tobe further understood that numerous changes and improvements may be madewithout departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1.- A bag stringing mechanism of the character W described having aneedle supporting plate movably mounted on a pair of guide tracks andoperating mechanism therefor, a pair of stringing needles mounted insaid plate, each of said needles comprising a tube and a cooperatingpointed shank sleeved within said tube, said tube and shank havingcooperating substantially fiat faces thereon forming therebetween astring receiving opening, movable means on said plate engageable withthe ends of said needle shanks and having means engageable with saidmovable means for moving said means and said shanks relative to saidtubes to open said openings and receive the ends of the strings in saidneedles and means for moving said gripping faces in opposing directionsto grip the strings.

2. A bag stringing mechanism of the character described having a needlesupporting plate movably mounted on a pair of guide tracks and operatingmechanism therefor, a pair of stringing needles mounted in said plate,each of said needles comprising a tube and a cooperating shank sleevedwithin said tube, said tube and shank having cooperating faces thereonforming therebetween a transverse string receiving opening, a springpressed block on said plate engageable with the ends of said needleshanks and having cam means engageable therewith for moving said blockand said shanks relative to said tubes to open said openings and receivethe ends of the strings in said needles, said spring functioning to movesaid needle shanks and said gripping faces in opposing directions togrip the strings.

3. A bag stringing mechanism of the character described having a needlesupporting plate slidably mounted on a pair of guide tracks andoperating mechanism therefor, a pair of stringing needles mounted insaid plate, each of said needles comprising a tube and a cooperatingpointed shank sleeved within said tube, said tube and shank havingcooperating substantially flat faces thereon forming therebetween atransverse string receiving opening, a block having the ends of said vneedle shanks connected thereto, said block being tension of the springs23 moves the block 2| rearneedle points 10 are moved into abuttingengageslidably mounted on and connected to said plate, a cam memberadjacent said block and engageable therewith for moving said block andneedle shanks relative to said tubes to open said openings and grip theends of the strings in said needles, and means for moving said block,needle shanks and said gripping faces in opposing directions to grip thestrings.

4. A bag stringing mechanism of the character described having a needlesupporting plate slidably mounted on a pair of guide tracks andoperating mechanism therefor, a pair of stringing needles mounted insaid plate, each of said needles comprising a tube and a cooperating shank sleeved within said tube, said tube and shank having cooperatingfaces thereon forming therebetween a transverse string receivingopening, a block having the ends of said needle shanks connectedthereto, said block being slidably mounted on and connected to saidplate, means rotatably mounted adjacent said block havin a cam memberthereon engageable with said block, and means engageable with said meansfor rotating the same and said cam member and moving said block andneedle shanks relative to said tubes to having cooperating faces thereonforming therebetween a transverse string receiving opening, a blockhaving the ends of said needle shanks con- .nected thereto, said blockbeing slidably mounted on and connected to said plate, a crank rotatablymounted adjacent said block having a cam member thereon engaegable withsaid block,

' string therein, automatically operative means for shifting saidmembers into and out of the hem and in timed relation therewithrelatively shifting said membersto grip the string prior to the passageof the needle into the hem of the bag and for releasing said stringafter the passage of the needle into the hem.

8. The subject matter of claim 7 in which one of said 'pair of membersis slidable within the other.

9. The subject matter of claim 7 in which one of said pair of memberscomprises a pointed member, and in which one member is slidable withinthe other.

10. The subject matter of claim 7 in which one of said pair of memberscomprises a sleeve and the other a pointed member slidably engaged withsaid sleeve.

11. The subject matter of claim '7 in which one of said pair of memberscomprises a pointed member, and in which one member is slidable withinthe other, said members having opposed cooperating faces for clampingthe string.

12. The subject matter of claim 7 in which one of 'said pair of memberscomprises a sleeve and v the other a pointed member slidable within saidand a substantially horizontally disposed member ter and said cam memberand moving said block and needle shanks relative to said tubes to opensaid openings and receive the ends of the strings in said needles, andmeans for moving said block, needle shanks and said gripping faces inopposing directions to grip the strings.

6. A bag stringing mechanism of the character described having a needlesupporting plate slidably mounted on a pair of guide tracks andoperating mechanism therefor, a pair of stringin needles mounted in saidplate, each of said needles comprising a tube and a cooperating shanksleeved Within said tube, said tube and shank having cooperating facethereon forming therebetween a transverse string receiving opening, ablock having the ends of said needle shanks connected thereto, saidblock being slidably mounted on and connected to said plate, a crankrotatably mounted adjacent said block and having a roller on one endthereof, a cam member on said crank engageable with said block, asubstantially horizontally disposed arm pivotally mounted parallel tosaid guide tracks and engageable with said roller, and means forsubstantially vertically moving said arm and rotating said crank and camwhereby said block and needle shanks are moved relative to said tubes toopen said openings and receive the ends of the strings in said needles,and means for moving said block, needle shanks and said gripping facesin opposing directions to grip the strings.

7. A bag stringing mechanism of the character described comprisingneedle mechanism for inserting a string into the hem of a bag andcomprising a string carrying needle consistin of a pair of relativelylongitudinally movable members having a string receiving gap forgripping the sleeve, said sleeve and other member having opposedcooperating faces for clamping the string.

13. A bag stringing mechanism of the character described comprisingneedle mechanism for insorting a string into the hems of a bag andcomprising a pair of string carrying needles, each comprising a pair ofrelatively longitudinally movable members having a string receiving gapfor gripping the string therein and automatically operative means forshifting said members into an out. of the hem and in timed relationtherewith for relatively shifting said members to grip the string priorto the passage of each needle into the hem of a bag and for releasingsaid string after the passage of each needle into the hem.

14. The subject matter of claim 13 in which both needles aresimultaneously shifted with their gripped strings throughthe two sidehems of the bag.

15. The subject matter of claim 13 in which both needles aresimultaneously shifted with their gripped strings through the two sidehems of the bag and back through the same hems to carry a pair ofstrings through each of said hems.

16. In a bag stringing needle mechanism for stringing fabric bags, apair of stringing needles, each of said needles comprising a tube and acooperating shank sleeved within said tube, said tube and shank havinopposed cooperating gripping faces thereon forming therebetween a,transverse string receiving opening, automatic means for moving saidshanks relative to said. tubes to force said cooperating faces intoapproximate contact with each other to close said openings and to gripthe ends of the strings in said needles, said needles being bodilymovable for penetration of the fabric and to carry the gripped ends ofthe string therethrough and automatic means for moving said grippingfaces in opposing diping faces thereon forming therebetween a transversestring receiving opening, spring means for moving said shanks relativeto said tubes to force said cooperating faces into approximate contactbag fabric and to carry the the ends of the strings in said needles,said neemovable for penetration of the gripped ends of the stringtherethrough, and automatic means for moving said gripping faces inopposing directions to release the strings.

18. In a bag stringing mechanism for stringing fabric bags, a needlesupporting means slidably mounted on a guide means, a pair of stringingneedles mounted in said supportin means, each of said needles comprisinga tube and a cooperating shank sleeved within said tube, said tube andshank having opposed cooperating gripping faces thereon formingtherebetween a transverse string receiving opening, automaticallyactuated means associated with said needle supporting means for movingsaid shanks relative to said tubes to open said openings and receive theends of the strings in said needle and spring means for moving saidgripping faces in opposing directions to force said cooperatin facesinto approximate engagement with each other to grip the stringsregardless of the thickness thereof, said needles being bodily movablefor penetration of the bag fabric and to carry the gripped ends of thestring therethrough.

19. In a bag stringing needle mechanism for string-Eng fabric bags, aneedle supporting plate siidably mounted on a pair of guide members anddlts bein bodily operating mechanism therefor, a pair of stringingneedles mounted in said supporting plate, each of said needlescomprising a tube and a cooperating pointed shank sleeved within Saidtube, said tube and shank having cooperating gripping faces thereonforming therebetween a transverse string receiving opening, means onsaid supporting plate for moving said shanks relatively to said tubes toopen said openings and receive the ends of the strings in said'needlesand meansfor moving said gripping faces in opposing directions to forcesaid cooperating faces into approximate engagement with each other togrip the strings, regardless of the thickness thereof, said needlesbeing bodily movable point first for penetration of the bag fabric andto carry the g i p d string therethrough.

tracks and operating mechanism therefor, a pair of stringing needlesmounted in said supporting plate, each of said needles comprising a tubeand a cooperating pointed shank sleeved within said tube, said tube andshank having cooperating faces thereon forming therebetween a transversestring receiving opening, means engageable with the ends of said needleshanks and having means associated therewith for moving said shanksrelative to said tubes to open said openings and receive the ends of thestrings in said needle and means for moving said gripping faces inopposing directions into approximate engagement with each other to gripthe strings, regardless of the thickness thereof, said needles beingbodily movable point first for penetration of the bag fabric and tocarry the gripped string therethrough.

22. A bag stringing needle mechanism for' stringing fabric bagscomprising a pair of stringing needles, each of said needles comprisinga v hollow member and a cooperating member having cooperating grippingfaces, said members movable longitudinally relative to each other,automatic means for shifting said members relatively to each other inone direction to force said gripping faces into approximate contact witheach other to clamp the ends of the string in said needles, regardlessof the thickness of the string, and automatic means for shifting saidmembers relatively to each other in the opposite direction to releasethe string, said needles being initially bodily movable first toward thebag for penetration of the bag fabric and to carry the gripped ends ofthe string therethrough and finally in a reverse direction after theends of the string have been released.

23. A bag stringing needle mechanism for stringing fabric bags having aneedle, said needle comprising a hollow member and a cooperating memberhaving cooperating gripping faces,

' said members movable longitudinally relative to each other, automaticmeans for shifting said members relatively to each other in onedirection to force the said gripping faces into approximate engagementwith each other 'to clamp the end of the string in saldlneedle,regardless of the thickness of the string, and'automatic means 20. A bagstringing needle mechanism for stringing fabric bags comprising a needlesuporting plate slidably mounted on a pair of guide tracks and operatingmechanism therefor, a pair of stringing needles mounted in saidsupporting plate, each of said needles comprising a tube and a.cooperating pointed shank sleeved within said tube, said tube and shankhaving cooperating gripping faces thereon fonning therebetween atransverse string receiving opening, means associated with saidsupportin plate and operative for moving said shanks relative to saidtubes to opensaid openings and receive the ends of the string in saidneedles and means for moving said gripping faces in opposing directionsto force said cooperating faces into appr a e en a m nt with each otherto grip the string, regardless of the thickness thereof, said needlesbeing bodily movable point first for penetration of the bag fabric andto carry the gripped string therethrough.

21. A bag stringing needle, mechanism for stringing fabric bagscomprising a needle supporting plate slidably mounted on a pair of guidefor shifting said members relatively to each other in the oppositedirection to release the string, said needle being bodily movable forpenetration of the bag fabric and to carry the clamped string endtherethrough.

24. A bag stringing needle mechanism of the character describedcomprising a stringing needle operative to carry a string through a'hem,said needle having relatively movable opposed gripping faces forgripping and maintainin a. thread, against movement therebetween, andoperative to carry it through said hem without slip- Pins.

25. A bag stringing needle mechanism of the character describedcomprising a pair of stringing needles operative to carry the free endsof a string through a hem, said needles each having relatively movableopposed gripping means for gripping and maintaining the two free ends ofthe string against movement and operative to carry both ends of thestring through the hem without slipping.

EDWARD E. WEST.

